[63] For the period between October 24 and November 6 the names of the
following officers who fell must be added to those already given: killed
or dead of their wounds, Lieutenants Cherdel and Richard,
Second-Lieutenants Rousset and Le Coq; among those wounded, but not
mortally, Lieutenants Antoine, "son of Admiral Antoine and the model of
a perfect officer" (private correspondence), and Revel, who, when
severely wounded in the thigh, ordered his decimated company to retire,
"leaving him in the trench where he had fallen."
[64] Marcotte de Sainte-Marie was provisionally succeeded at the head of
his battalion by Lieutenant Dordet, who acquitted himself admirably.
[65] And yet these cemetery trenches afforded comparative security.
Before reaching them it was necessary to cross a perfectly flat zone of
60 metres, continually swept by rifle fire and shrapnel. "This we passed
at the double, in Indian file, our knapsacks on our heads, and popped,
those who had not been left on the way, into the cellars under the
caretaker's house with an 'Ouf!' of relief." (Georges Delaballe.)
[66] It must be remembered that the Belgians had been fighting for three
solid months, and that until the 23rd October they had faced the Germans
alone, if not at Dixmude at least as far north as Nieuport.
[67] To say nothing of a captive balloon. "Violent bombardment of our
trenches, directed by 'sausage' balloons; feeble reply of French and
Belgian artillery," is the entry, under date of the 8th, in an officer's
note-book, where also we find under date of the 9th: "Bombardment
continued. Night attack on the outposts, which were driven in."
[68] Dr. Caradec says the German artillery, consisting of batteries of
105's and 77's, was posted 2,000 metres away, behind the Chateau of
Woumen, and near Vladsloo, Korteckeer, and Kasterthoeck.
[69] Before that, however, at half-past nine, a lively attack had been
directed against the front of the ninth and tenth companies of the 1st
Regiment, which occupied towards Beerst one end of the arc described
round Dixmude by our trenches; the extremities of this arc rested on the
Yser. The Germans tried to push between the Yser and the flank of the
ninth company. This attack was repulsed by the two companies, assisted
by fire from the remaining trenches and a battery of 75's.
[70] Rather above Dixmude station, between the railway embankment and
the Eessen road.
[71] We find in the _Bulletin de la Societe Archeologique du Finisterre_
that "M. de Nanteuil, a retired naval officer, returned to the service
in the first days of the war and was attached to the defence of Brest
and its neighbourhood. But this occupation seemed to him too quiet, and,
in spite of a precarious state of health, he left no stone unturned to
get to the front. Fifteen days after arriving there he was killed, one
hero more in a family of heroes. He was an efficient archaeologist,
especially in all that had to do with military architecture. He had
published some excellent papers on our old feudal castles in the
_Bulletins_ of the _Association Bretonne_, historical notes and
descriptions relating to the Chateau of Brest, the remains at Morlaix
and Saint Pol de Leon, the churches of Guimilian, Lampaul, Saint
Thegonnec, and Pleyben...." He went off full of pluck and go, we hear
from another source, his heart full of eagerness to meet the enemy.
Those friends who saw him off all noticed his radiant looks.... When
mortally wounded, for paralysis supervened almost at once, and carried
to the ambulance, his head was still clear, he was anxious as to the
phases of the battle, and asked whether the enemy had been repulsed. He
supported his sufferings without complaint, and in the evening, although
he was very weak, they moved him on to Malo-les-Bains, for he "wished to
die on French ground."
[72] Dr. Caradec, _op. cit._
[73] He was killed. He had been hit by a bullet above the ear as he
raised himself to glance round over the high bank of a watercourse lined
by his men.
[74] To this major Serieyx had only surrendered after all his ammunition
was exhausted, and he and his men saw that no further resistance was
possible. The major had then asked Serieyx whether there was no means of
crossing the Yser. Serieyx answered, "I only know of one, the Haut
Pont." Now, at some fifty yards from where they stood, there was a
footbridge which our sailors were at that moment crossing. Serieyx held
the major's attention by taking a pencil and tracing a complicated plan
of the position. From time to time firing took place, and the Frenchmen
planted themselves stoically in front of the Boches, Serieyx working
away at his plan. But the major grew impatient at its complication, and
thought it better to make use of his prisoner to procure the surrender
of the trenches.
[75] "The troops in the southern sector moved back towards the town,
defending themselves by a series of barricades, under the orders of
Commander Mauros and Lieutenant Daniel." (Note-book of Second-Lieutenant
X.)
[76] It has been said that an old woman caused the fall of Dixmude on
November 10. "The allied forces occupying Dixmude," said the _Daily
Mail_, "consisted of a squadron of cavalry encamped on the right bank of
the Yser, two batteries of 75's, a regiment of infantry, and a battalion
of Zouaves (!). The battle began with a violent cannonade, which had the
great distillery in the centre of the town as its principal objective.
Two of our 75's were on the first floor of a tannery, the others below,
on a little mound where skins were cleaned. Our artillery was able to
hold the enemy in check, opening great breaches through the hostile
ranks with its shells. One German gun lost all its team, and the Uhlans
were mown down by our sailors. Our men, cavalry and infantry, were
awaiting the word to attack. Just at this moment appeared an old woman
to whom our Zouaves had been kind, as she seemed so miserable. She had
marched with them, leaning on the arm of one and another and sharing
their soup. She mounted to the first floor of the tannery, and then
disappeared. A moment later a light appeared on the roof of the
distillery. It was seen to swing three times from right to left. Five
minutes later the German shells began to rain upon the point indicated
by the light. In a very short time the building was greatly damaged,
fires broke out, and the burning alcohol lighted up the whole
neighbourhood. Unable to stem either the deluge of shells or this
conflagration, the French general decided to evacuate the town and
entrench himself on the canal banks. With great difficulty the 75's were
withdrawn from their positions. Before quitting the city the French
soldiers saw, and were able to identify, the 'old woman,' stretched on
the ground, with the uniform of an Uhlan peeping from beneath 'her'
skirts." This is all pure imagination. Spies certainly played a part in
the fall of Dixmude. Too many people were accepted as refugees and
distressed inhabitants who were in reality the guides and accomplices of
the enemy. But, in the first place, we had no Zouaves at Dixmude;
secondly, our observation post was not in a tannery; finally, we had no
cavalry. The only body which barred the way to the Germans was the
Marines, omitted in this account.
[77] The following details of this fine operation have reached me, but
before giving them I must remind the reader that the Germans who fell
upon the reserve under Commander Rabot did not destroy Company 11. This
company, after a lively exchange of fire, retired upon Companies 9 and
10, which were almost intact. Dixmude had already fallen, when the
captains of the three companies met, and after thinking over the
situation, determined to hold on at all costs. Consequently "Company 10
proceeded to place a small advanced post on the Beerst road, with two
double sentries, and a rear-guard at the old mill. The company itself
was drawn up with one rank facing to the front, the other to the rear,
and the trenches so arranged that a front could be shown in any
direction. The machine-guns abandoned by the Belgians were overhauled
and placed so as to sweep the Beerst road. At 6.30 the little northern
post was attacked. Pursuant to orders, it retired after a volley or two.
Then fire opened along the whole line, the machine-guns of Company 10
joining in. The Germans, who expected no such stubborn resistance, had
severe losses. For an hour the fight lasted without change, the men
still at their post and the trench still intact. All the killed, Captain
Baudry among them, were shot through the head, the wounded, in the head
or the arm, in the act of firing. At this moment the beginning of an
attack from the rear made itself felt. The time for retreat had come, as
the detachment had lost connection with the Staff of the battalion. The
companies moved off successively, each leaving a section to protect its
retreat. This retreat was admirable, but quite indescribable on account
of the ground. _Arroyos_ (mud-holes) everywhere. The men got through,
although sinking to their armpits and handing on their wounded before
them. After two hours of this painful but orderly progression, they
arrived before the footbridge over the Yser. A farm granary arose near
by, where the Germans had mounted machine-guns to sweep the bridge.
Lieutenant Cantener, who was now in command, decided to carry the farm.
The operation was a complete success. The Germans were driven out, the
farm burnt, and the Yser crossed. The column, with its wounded in front,
then made its way safely to the cross-roads at Caeskerke, and thence
into the shelter trenches at Oudecappelle." The third battalion of the
1st Regiment, which held the northern sector, had the following
officers: Company 9, Berat, Poisson, Le Gall; Company 10, Baudry, Mazen,
Devisse; Company 11, Cantener, Hillairet, Le Provost; Company 12, De
Nanteuil, Vielhomme, Charrier.
[78] According to M. Pierre Loti, the Marines at Dixmude lost "half
their effective and from 80 to 100 of their officers." This estimate is
none too large if we include the wounded and missing.
[79] According to the _Nieuws van den Dag_, 4,000 wounded were sent to
Liege the next day. Another Dutch journal, the _Telegraaf_, says that
out of 3,000 men engaged in the attack on the southern sector of the
defence "only a hundred men were left after the fall of the town." All
estimates are clearly uncertain in such confused affairs, and so we have
taken our figures preferably from the neutral press, in which we may
look for a certain amount of impartiality.
[80] The operation was carried out by Quartermaster Le Belle to whom the
military medal was awarded. "A night or two ago," writes Commander
Geynet, "I was ordered to blow up the sluice in front of me.... A little
quartermaster crossed the stream on a plank nailed across two barrels.
We pushed the Prussians out of the way by rifle fire. My little man,
with his charge of dynamite, chose his moment well, then, leaving his
raft to draw the fire of the Prussians, regained our bank by swimming."
[81] Paul Chautard in the _Liberte_ of November 24. Commander Geynet
says nothing of this episode, however.
[Illustration: Plan of Attack on DIXMUDE on November 10th 1914.]
[Illustration: MAP of OPERATIONS Round DIXMUDE Drawn by CH. LE GOFFIC.]
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